Schubert: Piano Trios

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This set offers four Schubert masterpieces in excellent performances. In the trio works, the musical lead comes from the piano, but that isn't a problem when the pianist is such an experienced Schubertian as Schiff and the other parts are played with plenty of personality. Although the recordings were all made in the same locale, the perspective on the instruments is quite different in the Sonata than in the Trio works; but the sound is realistic throughout and well-balanced. Of course there are numerous recordings of these works, some of them more economically coupled. But these performances are as fine as any you will hear, and the Trio No. 2 is played with its recently-restored complete finale, a decided plus. --Leslie Gerber

Schubert: Piano Trios, Music, Franz Schubert, Andras Schiff, Yuuko Shiokawa, Chamber, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral & Symphonic, Trio for Keyboard and Two String Instruments

Franz Schubert: Complete Trios
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A Hidden Gem Worth Taking Without Hesitation!

first CD best

A great way to buy Schubert's chamber music

Good, but too "intellectualized"

One Schubert CD YOU Should Get

Franz Schubert: Complete Trios

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Pressler, Menahem | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000417B
Release Date: 1994-01-18

Tracks:

String Trio In B Flat, D.581: I. Allegro moderato
String Trio In B Flat, D.581: II. Andante
String Trio In B Flat, D.581: III. Menuetto (Allegretto)
String Trio In B Flat, D.581: IV. Rondo (Allegretto)
String Trio In B Flat, D. 471--Allegro
Piano Trio In B Flat, D.898: I. Allegro moderato
Piano Trio In B Flat, D.898: II. Andante un poco mosso
Piano Trio In B Flat, D.898: III. Scherzo (Allegro)
Piano Trio In B Flat, D.898: IV. Rondo (Allegro vivace)

Tracks:

Piano Trio In E Flat, C.929: I. Allegro
Piano Trio In E Flat, C.929: II. Andante con moto
Piano Trio In E Flat, C.929: III. Scherzo (Allegro moderato)
Piano Trio In E Flat, C.929: IV. Allegro moderato
Piano Trio In One Movement In B Flat, D.28: Allegro
Adagio In E Flat, D.897

Amazon.com

Schubert's two piano trios are the products of his last years when, knowing that he was ill and dying, he still managed to produce dozens of songs and chamber music masterpieces, as well as pursue counterpoint studies and make plans for further orchestral and stage works. Add to this the earlier String Trio and a couple of miscellaneous single movements, and his output in "trio" form is complete. Both of the piano trios are typically large works, generously stuffed with first-rate tunes, some of which you may recognize without knowing exactly where they came from. These excellent performances at a "twofer" price offer the most convenient and cost effective way to get to know this marvelous music. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A Hidden Gem Worth Taking Without Hesitation!.......2005-10-21

The Grumiaux Trio and the Beaux Arts trio are highly respected groups in the domain of chamber music and rank as highly as groups such as the Guarneri Quartet. These earlier performances of Schubert are exquisite in their execution and the only defect here is perhaps a slightly reduced sound quality than your typical contemporary performances due to its age. This is barely noticeable however and this CD is really a steal for the price.

The trios of Schubert are a good way of exploring various periods of his life in which he composed drastically different arrangements. His Piano Trio D. 28 is a good example of his foundations in Mozart and early Beethoven until you reach his Piano Trio D. 929 (performed often in Kurbrick's 'Barry Lyndon') where Schubert explores much more on impressionistic themes than romantic ones. Such themes were only pursued later by composers such as Brahms and Schumann. Liszt's romanticism was also stongly influenced by both Beethoven and Schubert. Of the performances I really have nothing to say as they are simply flawless and there are few I could compare. The sound has some disadvantages but not really significant ones.

This is really a magnificent performance giving you Schubert's complete trios on two CDs. For the quality of performance you get it's a bargain. I am glad I got it as it was worth every dollar.

first CD best.......2005-10-03

I enjoyed the string trios and first piano trio far more than the piano trios on the second CD. Those pieces seemed to stretch Schubert's tendency to repeat sections with slow development to the limit of my toleration. The recordings here are somewhat distant at times but the individual instruments are easy to discern. My comment above about the compositions reflects personal taste -- reasons I generally prefer Beethoven to Schubert. If the pace of his development is to your liking you might very well consider this a "5 star" recording. Recommended with some reservations.

A great way to buy Schubert's chamber music.......2005-08-03

A wonderful 2 CD set of Schubert's trios played by excellent musicians. I particularly like the Beaux Arts Trio and their playing of the piano trios. A great way to consolidate your collection.

Good, but too "intellectualized".......2002-08-20

This is an excellent CD to have; the Beaux Arts Trio is excellent, but sometimes their interpretation is too intellectual and doesn't care enough for the beauty of Schubert's melodies. For example, in the second movement of Schubert E flat Piano trio, the gorgeous solo, the accompaniment to the gorgeous cello solo, then piano solo, is staccato, which takes much of the beauty out of this gorgeous section. I could picture the three guys sitting there and saying, "The melody line is long, so we should make the accompaniment short." When this melody recurs in the fourth movement, it's played much much much too quickly, again taking the beauty, the melancholy out of it. It's clear in those gorgeous waterfall-like descending chords on the piano that Pressler is racing and shouldn't be. After the solo in the second movement, the violin gets too staccato and makes part of the piece unbearably corny, particularly during the fortissimo parts. The B flat in particular tends to race. However, the playing is still very expressive; Pressler in particular and Greenhouse next. I reccomend this CD very highly.

One Schubert CD YOU Should Get.......2001-04-23

There just doesn't seem to be quite the equal for their interpretations of the classical repertoire, but even among the numerous remarkable recordings the Beaux Arts Trio has produced, this gorgeous rendering of Schubert decisively stands out.

Trio No.1 in B flat Major is my favourite pick, with all of its very expansive movements (length-wise, rather than musically, which often make the piece sound boring in lesser hands) treated with extremely delicate and tasteful pacings. One more thing that is very noticeable is the lyricism of the cello tone that almost resembles that of a human voice; it is so light and transparent, as perfectly exhibited in the second movement of the Trio No.1, that at times it could be mistaken for violin.

This is one Schubert recording you should not miss, and I actually think I like this more than the overplayed (although very much deservedly) Trout Quintet. Enjoy!

Schubert: The Piano Trios
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Those who criticize the sound quality ...

Performed with real gusto!

PURE MUSIC MAGIC

Schubert: The Piano Trios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Harrell, Lynn | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 1; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell

ASIN: B0000042HH
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

Trio In B Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 99, D898: I. Allegro moderato
Trio In B Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 99, D898: II. Andante un poco mosso
Trio In B Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 99, D898: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
Trio In B Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 99, D898: IV. Rondo: Allegro vivace - Presto

Tracks:

Trio In E Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 100, D898: I. Allegro
Trio In E Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 100, D898: II. Andante con moto
Trio In E Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 100, D898: III. Scherzandro: Allegro moderato - Trio
Trio In E Flat Major For Piano, Violin And Cello, Op. 100, D898: IV. Allegro moderato

Customer Reviews:

Those who criticize the sound quality ..........2004-12-26

clearly have wax in their ears/speakers. Through a high fidelity system of any reasonable quality, these recordings sound warm, glorious, superb. And, of course, these compositions are performed in a manner that matches their quality. Among Schubert's best works, in my opinion.

Enjoy!

Performed with real gusto!.......2004-05-16

This recording of Schubert's two piano trios (the only two he wrote) is a real joy. Three masters of the trade provide a classy, lively, lyrical performance that is just full of enthusiasm and gusto (especially the B flat D898).

I admit that I have not heard the two higher-priced recordings recommended by Gramophone, but I'd be very surprised if anyone could top this performance. This is one of my most frequently played CD sets -- for good reason. [I say much the same about the Mozart Piano Quartets recording on Naxos, for the same reasons.]

PURE MUSIC MAGIC.......2002-10-31

THESE TWO PIANO TRIOS ARE THE BEST EVER COMPOSED FOR THE VIOLIN, CELLO, AND PIANO. SCHUBERTS MELODIC GENIUS IS ON DISPLAY IN THESE WORKS. ASHKENAZYS KEYBOARD TEMPO IS PERFECT AND ZUKERMANS PLAYING IS WARM AND BRILLIANT. HARRELLS CELLO SOUNDS RICH AND FULL. FANS OF STANLEY KUBRICKS FILM BARRY LYNDON WILL RECALL HIS USE OF THE SECOND MOVEMENT OF THE E FLAT MAJOR IN THE DELIBERATELY PACED DRAWING ROOM SCENES. THE MUSIC FIT PERFECTLY. THE SLOW MOVEMENT THEME RETURNS IN THE FINAL MOVEMENT TO CONTRAST WITH A ROCKING, LIVELY ALLEGRO. THE B FLAT MAJOR OPENS WITH A BEETHOVEN LIKE HEROIC THEME AND IS FOLLOWED BY ONE OF SCHUBERTS MOST EXPRESSIVE MELODIES. A BOUNCY SCHERZO IS THEN FOLLOWED BY A WELL CONSTRUCTED RONDO THAT IS A FINE ENDING TO A GREAT PIECE OF MUSIC. BUYING THESE TOGETHER IN THIS TWO CD CASE IS BEST. THEY WERE ALWAYS SPLIT UP TILL NOW. SCHUBERT ROCKS!!

Average customer rating:

A performance worthy of Schubert
Surprisingly pallid readings from the Capucons and friend

Schubert: Piano Trios 1&2

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Carl Nielsen, Orchestral Music

ASIN: B000FIHZLO
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Andante Un Poco Mosso
Scherzo - Allegro
Rondo - Allegro Vivace
Sonatensatz In B Flat Major

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante Con Moto
Scherzo - Allegro Moderato
Allegro Moderato
Notturno In E Flat Major

Customer Reviews:

A performance worthy of Schubert.......2007-06-06

I feel I need to address Mr. "Santa Fe"'s dismissal of this CD because, frankly, he's missing the point. This is Schubert, not Bruckner, Mahler or Rachmaninoff. This is the *early* Romantic period, and moreover, a particular early Romantic who does not easily fit into that category, let alone any other. Often clumped unjustily with his contemporaries and expected to follow suit by countless historians, critics and audiences, Schubert's legacy has suffered perhaps more than any other "underapperciated" composer. The main problem is we tend to see traits like audacity, bravado and hyperbole as indicative of Romantic composers and with Romanticism itself, yet Schubert's genius clearly was of another vein, one of unparalleled refinement and sophistication that confidently relied on subtlety, understatement and indomitable good taste.

For historical context, both of these trios were written in 1827, the year of Beethoven's death and a year before Schubert's own untimely passing. What they represent is more than Schubert's last works, but the culmination and perhaps apex of Schubert's idiosyncratic Romanticism. By now, European composers were well aware of the stakes as defined by Beethoven's imposing legacy and the seemingly madness-inspired and ferocious genius of his last years. When listening to these trios, however, we find Schubert in a world of his own, indifferent to the course upon which Beethoven has set European music for the next 70 years. Instead of that reckless strain of Romanticism that will eventually give us the likes of Wagner and Mahler, these two works possess their own Zeitgeist that speaks in a patient beauty and knowing poise which, like a wise man who knows truths the fools about him do not, refuse to be rushed, badgered or agitated by fashions that are transistory.

Now, for the this CD: I suppose if one has cut their classical teeth on the hightly stylized performances of "Top 40 Romantics" over the past 60 years, this Braley/Capucon/Capucon CD may at first sound a bit foreign. This is not a performance that "plays it up" for the audience, nor does it apologize for that. It is rather a performance thankfully informed by more recent recognition of Schubert's unique mastery. In some ways, it seems to atone for past sins of performers who blasted and tore through these trios like they were playing a Rachmaninoff concerto, although I do not think that is the purpose of this recording. Rather, I think this is simply highly capable musicians playing worthy music with a humble passion for authenticity rather than conformity to last century's status quo. I applaud this heartily.

With that spirit of authenticity, the result for Braley and the Capucon brothers is far from a "run through" or a "weak tea" performance. I hear plenty of motivation, as well as attentiveness and responsiveness that effectively brings Schubert's vision to life. The three musicians make a strong, well-balanced ensemble which places the music, not individual performances, first. Tempo changes, accents and dynamics are effortless and never overwrought, sensitive to Schubert's preference for subtlety without losing vitality or color. Technically, these performances are near flawless, although it is this ensemble's undeniable musicality and good taste on a level worthy of Schubert which should be enough to win over any openminded listener.

The other two pieces, an earlier Sonatensatz and the Notturno composed around the same time as the trios, should not be overlooked, as they are quite complimentary. I was particularly impressed with this performance of the dramatic Notturno, which highlight's Braley's graceful technique along with the Capucons' evenhanded ensemble playing and responsive dynamics.

Surprisingly pallid readings from the Capucons and friend.......2007-04-15

Violinist Renaud Capucon and cellist Gautier have become familiar adjuncts to the brilliant Martha Argerich when she gathers friends around her to make chamber music, primarily in Lugano, where EMI goes to record one of the most invigorating summer music events in Europe. The Capucons have been rising steadily, and they had a bit of a hit with their recording of Brahms Piano trios. Here they try to do the same with Schubert's two great trios, in B flat and E flat, but one feels the abswence of great motivation. Pianist Frank Braley is recessive to the point of timidity, no match for others in this repertoire (Rubenstein and Serkin, for example), but the two Capucons aren't exactly on fire, either. They tiptoe with refined care through too much of this music, underplay accents, miss changes in Schubert's emotional tone, and generally produce what I'd call a pleasant run-through. Such is their standing, however, that I anticipate a rave from The Gramophone, a fan of weak-tea chamber-music playing these days.

Schubert: Piano Music for Four Hands, Vol. 4

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Schubert: Piano Music for Four Hands, Vol. 4

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000002BZG
Release Date: 1996-11-26

Tracks:

Fant in G, D 1
Fant in g, D 9
Fant in c, D 48
Ov in g, D 668
Deutscher With Two Trios And Two Landler, D 618
Deutscher With Two Trios And Two Landler, D 618
Four Landler, D 814
March in G, D 928 (March For Children)
Allegro Moderato And Andante, D 968
Allegro Moderato And Andante, D 968
Fugue in e, D 952

Franz Schubert: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2 [Hybrid SACD]

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Franz Schubert: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2 [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Praga Czech Rep.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000DYN4H
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Schubert: Piano Works for Four Hands, Vol. 3

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A late Schubert masterpiece is here.

Schubert: Piano Works for Four Hands, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bird Songs

ASIN: B0000W3XOI
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Overture In F Major, Op.34, D.675
Fantasie In F Minor, Op.103, D.940
German Dance In G Major, With Two Trios
Two Landler In E Major
Variations On An Original Theme, Op.82/2, D. 968a
I. Allegro Moderato In B Minor
II. Maestoso In C Major
III. Moderato In D Major

Customer Reviews:

A late Schubert masterpiece is here........2004-06-09

Music lovers who aim to acquire masterpieces of classical music at budget prices sometimes must expect budget quality performances. I am happy to report that this CD offers 5 star value. It is the third installment of Schubert's piano works for four hands, and the artists are master and his former pupil - the latter having the attractive given name Zsuzsa. When duo pianists play in sympathy and perfect accord, those enjoyment-spoiling "c-cluncks" are avoided whenever chords are required to be played in unison. I listened throughout with great enjoyment and no anxiety, hearing no "c-cluncks". .

My listening to the F Minor Fantasie was especially keen. Having worked at it myself once with a friend, I was all too aware of the approaching pitfalls, the particular problems met along then way, and the need the see the piece as a whole while attending to its many changes of mood. I concluded that these artists had judged and mastered everything.